Behind the Clouds
by artistic.frizz
Summary: Read only after watching the mid-season finale. One-shot.


"Beth."

She heard her name just as she felt the light around her. It washed over her skin and seemed to pour into her veins. Energy came to her, when she was sure just moments ago she was feeling the fatigue of the world around her.

"Beth." There it was again.

A voice she hadn't heard in too long. Yeah, a voice she missed a lot.

"Beth, hon'." She opened her eyes then. It was her Daddy. Hershel sat - whole once more - with a full beard and those soft twinkling eyes again. She started to shift, to sit up and lunge after him but he patted her hand as she felt strangely heavy, despite all that glory running through her now. "Don't move too quickly. It might take you a minute to get used to feeling so good." She looked around her.

"Where - dad?"

"You're dead." He said it simply and shortly and she started to shake her head.

"No, I-" He just nodded serenely. She tapered off lamely, and took stock of her surroundings again. "Heaven?"

"As far as I can tell," he replied. And now she could see it - he was facing a window and she laid out on a day-bed near him.

"Your leg." She didn't want to mention his head. She was confused - but she wasn't that confused.

"Seems I didn't need it - but I think I wanted it back, anyhow." She shook her head, and felt her hair move about her shoulders. She hadn't worn it down in over a year.

"What happened to me?" she asked, and reached up to her cheek. It usually hurt - but right now it was smooth and painless.

"What happens to most people," Hershel replied. "You died."

"But what happened?"

"You don't need to know. They came for you," Hershel nodded to the window, and now Beth sat up to look out as well. There was Rick and Daryl standing aside with Carol atop a low-riding car. There were more people, a few Beth didn't recognize but many she did. Baby Judith was asleep in Tyreese's arms. Beth began to cry. And it was then that she saw Maggie. Instinct took over - she started banging on the window screaming out to her sister. Hershel didn't stop her, just let her storm as she liked. And when she took a breath he spoke.

"They can't hear you. Lord knows, I tried to get to you both." She turned to him, tears in her eyes and now he looked sad.

"But Maggie needs to know I love her."

"She knows, Beth."

"I need to tell her."

"They all know."

"But..." She wanted to plead with him - he could get her back. But she knew if he could - he'd be down there with Maggie. She never really noticed how dirty she had always felt. Grimy and gross. She looked at Daryl again. Agony was etched into his features and she suddenly felt guilty for that drunken night. He was gonna miss her like hell. He already did. Had been, she thought.

"What happened to...?" she asked suddenly and broke off just as soon. She didn't know what he knew. Didn't know if she wanted him to know.

"You can imagine who took that shot, baby girl. I did not like leaving you - but I did not mind who I left you with. It's too bad," he said aloud, then seemed to stop short. She looked at him. "Well it's too bad you couldn't have had them altogether."

"What the hell is Maggie supposed to do now, huh?" Beth demanded. She stood. Angry now.

"Live."

"How? God, I couldn't even see straight when we lost you - and now... look at her. Look at her, Daddy! What the hell is she supposed to do?" Beth took comfort seeing Glenn hold her the way he did. He loved her. Beth knew he loved Maggie.

"We don't get to make these choices, Beth. We can't see two feet into the future - especially not now." Despite the window opening onto the grimy world below her - the room seemed to be lit by morning sun.

"Is Mama here? Where's my brother?"

"They're here. They don't look any more. I think it dampens their heaven a bit - but they didn't have to live like we did. They don't worry like I do." Beth and Hershel talked for a long time - until Maggie and the others got on the road again. Until Daryl didn't have to keep helping Carol as she walked. Beth cried some of the time, and Hershel just sat with her when she did. And eventually Beth got up to leave the room.

"There's more heaven past that door," he father told her. "And there's no big reason to stay watching like this - but it doesn't slow you down and it doesn't slow them down either." Beth nodded.

"I'll be waiting for her when she comes. For all of them. I'll say hi to each and every one of them when they get here - and hopefully it'll take a long time." She smiled, the way she knew she still could - with her big blue eyes shining out and that ever-innocent simper playing over her lips. "I'll have to see if Daryl saved the world or not." As she started to open the door she glanced over, and saw the embroidery her mother had made for her nursery hanging on the wall. The sunshine depicted in the image was reminiscent of the dusty light that flowed in when she opened the door.

She'd made it home, after all.


End file.
